Triceratops

The strongest of all herbivores

Triceratops had the strongest jaw muscles of any known dinosaur. Combined with a set of 600 teeth and a massive beak, it could easily chop up any plant material. Like many herbivores, Triceratops was a herd animal, which was also a protection from predators. The more adults in a herd, the less likely they were to be attacked by a single predator.

Triceratops had three horns: two on the head and one on the nose. In addition, there was a large neck shield. The horns and neck shield were larger in males than in females.

For a long time, it was assumed that the horns and neck shield were used for defence. In reality, however, both were very sensitive, and similar to deer, were mainly used by males to impress females and perceived rivals. Presumably, neck shields and horns were also used to intimidate enemies such as Tyrannosaurus rex, as the neck shield makes Triceratops appear larger than it actually is.

Triceratops lived at the end of the Cretaceous period and was probably one of the last dinosaurs on Earth. It died out in the great mass extinction 65 million years ago.